Department for Education

Education Update

Baroness Barran: My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi) has made the following statement.Today, I would like to set out what the Government’s ‘Living with COVID-19’ strategy means for education and childcare settings. As we move towards the endemic stage of COVID-19, it's right that we empower people to make sensible decisions and trust in our fellow Britons to be sensible and look out for each other.As of 21 February, all staff, students and pupils of secondary age and above in mainstream education and childcare settings are no longer advised to continue regular twice-weekly testing. This change is in line with the very latest public health advice, and because we now know that the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 for most children, young people, and most fully vaccinated adults is much reduced.Staff and students of secondary age and above in SEND settings, Alternative Provision settings, and SEND units within mainstream settings or equivalent in FE colleges are advised to continue twice-weekly testing. Staff in residential units in Children’s Social Care (Open and Secure Children’s Homes) and children of secondary age and above in Open Children’s Homes are also advised to continue twice-weekly testing. Children and young people arriving in Secure Children’s Homes should test on arrival.The education testing delivery channels will remain open so that staff and students of secondary age and above can access tests if needed to respond to local public health advice, in particular in relation to outbreaks. Staff and students are also able to access test kits from their local pharmacy or via Gov.uk.Mainstream settings will be advised to use any remaining stock of test kits to ensure access for students and their workforce in response to an outbreak if advised to do so by their local health protection teams.From 24 February, the Government will remove the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Adults and children who test positive will continue to be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 full days and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received 2 negative test results on consecutive days. In addition, the Government will:No longer ask fully vaccinated close contacts and those aged under 18 to test daily for 7 days, and remove the legal requirement for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated to self-isolate.End self-isolation support payments, national funding for practical support and the medicine delivery service will no longer be available.End routine contact tracing. Contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests. Staff, children and young people should attend their education settings as usual. This includes staff who have been in close contact within their household, unless they are able to work from home.End the legal obligation for individuals to tell their employers when they are required to self-isolate.As part of the Government’s decision in January 2022 to move back to Plan A, face coverings are no longer recommended in classrooms, teaching spaces and communal areas. Directors of Public Health may recommend temporarily re-introducing precautionary measures such as face coverings or testing in individual settings or across an area, informing my Department of their intention to do so to ensure any extra measures are proportionate.We have now exceeded our public commitment of delivering 300,000 CO2 monitors, with over 360,000 monitors delivered in the Autumn term. We are also making up to 9000 air cleaning devices available to all of those settings that need them. Over 6,000 have already been successfully delivered to eligible settings; the majority of the remaining deliveries will be completed by the end of February. And we continue to share advice and best practice on how settings can ensure that their occupied spaces are adequately ventilated, including a short video clip we recently filmed with Professor Cath Noakes, Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings.From my previous role as vaccines minister, overseeing one of the fastest roll outs in Europe, I know the importance of the vaccination programme in the fight against COVID-19. Vaccinations remain our very best line of defence and I continue to encourage all eligible staff and students aged 12 and over to take up the offer of a vaccine to protect themselves and those around them. The recent extension of the programme to all 5-11 year olds will enable all school-aged children to be vaccinated. The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of COVID-19 as we learn to live with this virus. This group will be offered two 10 microgram doses of the Pfizer vaccine eight weeks apart – a third of the amount used for adult vaccinations. The Government has also announced today that we have accepted the advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to offer, from spring, an additional COVID-19 booster jab to people aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and people aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed.Vaccines are critical as a first line of defence and antivirals now form a vital part of our approach as we learn to live with COVID-19 by preventing the most vulnerable from being hospitalised. The Government has therefore agreed deals to secure a total of 4.98m patient courses of oral antiviral treatments in our efforts to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant across the UK.Whilst we make this shift to living with COVID-19, we know that education and childcare settings may continue to experience workforce pressures. To help with this, the COVID-19 workforce fund has now been extended, providing financial support to eligible schools and colleges for costs incurred due to staff absences from Monday 22 November 2021 until Friday 8 April 2022. The fund is available to support schools and colleges facing significant staffing and funding pressures in continuing to deliver high-quality face-to-face education to all pupils.Updated guidance for all education and childcare settings will be published in line with the implementation of the ‘Living with COVID-19’ plan.Finally, I want to acknowledge the incredible efforts of the education and childcare settings who have continued to provide provision and support to children and young people throughout the pandemic.

Ministry of Justice

Twelfth Annual Report of the UK's National Preventive Mechanism

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: My honourable friend the Minister for Prisons and the Minister for Afghan Resettlement (Victoria Atkins) has made the following written statement:'The United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT), which the UK ratified in December 2003, requires States Parties to establish a “National Preventive Mechanism” (NPM) to carry out visits to places of detention to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.The Government established the UK NPM in March 2009 (Hansard 31 March 2009, Vol. 490, Part No. 57, Column 56WS). The UK NPM is currently composed of 21 scrutiny bodies covering the whole of the UK.Following previous practice, I present to Parliament the 12th NPM’s annual report (Command Paper 607). This report covers the period from 23 March 2020 to 1 April 2021.I commend the important work that the NPM has carried out over the year and the NPM’s independent role in safeguarding the human rights of detainees across the UK and its role in preventing torture and inhuman and degrading treatment. The Government takes allegations of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment very seriously and any allegations are investigated fully. The Government does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture for any purpose.The NPM’s report focuses on the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for those in detention settings. The report notes the actions taken by detention authorities in response to the pandemic which averted the serious risk of large numbers of infections among people in detention, but that these had impacts on key issues such as the time out of cell, education provision and visits.I am grateful for the work the NPM and its members have continued to undertake during the pandemic and the findings set out in its report. The Government is committed to ensuring that those in detention in the UK are treated with respect and care.'

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ninth Meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Elizabeth Truss), has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee met yesterday, 21 February, in Brussels. I co-chaired the meeting alongside European Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič. A Joint Statement was agreed and published on GOV.UK.The Committee received an update on the work of the Withdrawal Agreement Specialised Committees since the last meeting on 9 June, They also discussed citizens’ rights and progress on negotiations to find practical solutions to the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol.On citizens’ rights, both parties noted the continued constructive collaboration to ensure the rights of our respective nationals are protected. The UK urged the EU to ensure consistent support for all UK nationals living in the EU with a focus on three areas of concern. First, UK nationals in Member States having difficulties accessing their rights because of requests for permits which are not required. Second, Member States requesting information of UK nationals which is not required under the Withdrawal Agreement in order to secure their status; and third, a lack of safeguards and clarity on appeals where residence is not granted. The EU raised its concerns with aspects of the UK’s EU Settlement Scheme, focused on the legal base for guarantee of rights and the need for those with pre-settled status to apply for settled status at the point of qualification. The UK made clear there is no legal uncertainty for EU citizens in the UK.In relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol, both parties emphasised that they shared an overriding commitment to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. The UK outlined the problems the Protocol posed for trade within the UK internal market and Northern Ireland’s integral place in the United Kingdom, which was putting at risk the delicate balance essential to that Agreement and political stability in Northern Ireland. This underlined the increased urgency of finding solutions. Both sides reiterated the importance of further engagement, including with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, and wider Northern Ireland civic society and business.The UK and EU also discussed activity in the Withdrawal Agreement Specialised Committees since the previous Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 9 June 2021, and agreed to adopt two technical Decisions:- DECISION No [1]/2022 amending of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community - principally covering data sharing linked to social security coordination.- DECISION No [2]/2022 amending Decision No 7/2020 establishing a list of 25 persons who are willing and able to serve as members of an arbitration panel under the Agreement - to reflect a change on the EU side.

20th Replenishment of International Development Association

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Elizabeth Truss), has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:The UK will shortly publish its International Development Strategy and the FCDO will publish its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) allocations, which will promote British expertise and bring more countries into the orbit of free, democratic nations and ultimately benefit the British people.As part of this, we are rebalancing the aid budget towards bilateral programmes to give the UK greater control and flexibility over how taxpayers’ money is spent.In December 2021, the UK pledged £1,414 million to the 20th Replenishment of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA20). This funding will support COVID-19 vaccines, tackle climate change, get girls back into school and promote women’s economic empowerment.The UK will be the third largest donor to IDA20, after the US and Japan, and our pledge will bring us more in line with our share of our global ODA.Our IDA20 pledge is a reduction of 54% compared to our previous pledge to the 19th Replenishment. This will allow us to focus funding on UK bilateral programmes and control how exactly taxpayer’s money is used to support our priorities, including clean infrastructure investment, promoting British expertise, supporting women and girls, delivering humanitarian aid.Thanks to the UK’s engagement in the IDA20 negotiations the World Bank has committed to:provide health services to over 285 million people;close learning gaps and improve learning outcomes for girls in 20 IDA countries;support IDA countries to contain the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccine rollout, preventive measures, testing, treatment and care;ensure that at least 35% of IDA financing tackles climate change;fully align World Bank IDA operations with the Paris Agreement by 2023;support women’s empowerment, by expanding access to affordable sexual and reproductive, adolescent, and maternal health services, in at least 30 IDA countries;support all IDA countries to strengthen preparedness for future crises;mobilise private sector investment to create jobs in IDA countries.We will continue to push for multilateral reform, building alliances with like-minded partners and improving value for money.Consistent with the International Development Act 2002, and before any financial contributions are made, the Government will lay statutory orders relating to the IDA20 replenishment for the consent of the House of Commons.

Department of Health and Social Care

Healthcare Payments to the EEA and Switzerland

Lord Kamall: My Hon Friend the Minister of State (Minister for Health) (Edward Argar) has made the following Written Statement:First Annual Report on International Healthcare Payments under the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019 I have today laid before Parliament the first annual report on international healthcare payments pursuant to Section 6 of the Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Act 2019.The 2019 Act was enacted as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. It provided the legislative means to respond to a wide range of possible outcomes of the UK's exit from the EU in relation to reciprocal healthcare, including the implementation of new reciprocal healthcare agreements with a European Economic Area (EEA) state, Switzerland or an international organisation.The 2019 Act implements the Social Security Coordination Protocol to the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. That Agreement ensures UK residents continue to benefit from reciprocal healthcare arrangements, including covering necessary healthcare when travelling to Europe (previously known as the EHIC scheme, now the GHIC scheme). Planned healthcare arrangements have also continued after EU Exit (known as the S2 scheme); and eligible pensioners, frontier workers and certain other groups can have their healthcare costs covered when they move to the EU (known as S1 scheme). Under the 2019 Act, the UK has also implemented the various separation agreements with the European Economic Area and Switzerland.Building on the successful continuation of EU reciprocal healthcare agreements, the Government now wishes to negotiate further agreements with other States to bring greater benefits for UK nationals. The Health and Care Bill includes amendments to the 2019 Act which will enable us to implement comprehensive healthcare agreements with countries outside the EEA and Switzerland.This report covers payments made under the powers conferred by the 2019 Act between the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020 and 31 March 2021. During this period only one payment was made under the 2019 Act payment powers for discretionary planned treatment. Other payments made to the EEA and Switzerland during this period were for healthcare incurred prior to the end of the Transition Period. These payments are reimbursable as a matter of EU law and not therefore paid pursuant to the 2019 Act. Member States are now in the process of submitting claims which have been paid under the 2019 Act, details of which will be provided in the second report which will be published after the end of March 2022.